Decadence
by SnyperLady
Summary: Loosely based upon Aqua Lion's Harmonics series. Pidge has lost something precious to him and will stop at NOTHING to get it back...


_A very humble and most heartfelt thank you to Aqua Lion for letting me play in the Harmonics pool.__ I hope I did this evil plot bunny justice..._

_**Crydor**_

Gods, it was cold. But, I have grown use to being in the cold. My people thrived in the cold back on my home world, so it is in my blood. And I must live here, to slow the infection and to possibly save my life.

The only bad thing, the one thing I absolutely hated about the cold, was the dryness of the cold. It seeps the moisture out of everything. Honestly, I would kill for one small tube of chap stick. Unfortunately, when I killed Lotor, he didn't have any on him. He used to always have chap stick on him back on Planet Doom. I know, I use to pick his pocket whenever I could. His was always blackberry flavored. I hated blackberries, but one must use what one has on hand and right now, I was a bit desperate. I was tired of waking in the mornings with bloody lips. It made me think of the horrible times I had on Ebb after I was attacked by Haggar and of the fights deep within the Pit of Skulls on Doom.

Of course, I survived the fight with Lotor! I had to. My son was now on Arus under the protection of Princess Allura. I knew he would be safe, but I could not lose to the monster from Planet Doom. I had fought against him for so many years… I had defeated him once; I knew I could do it again. I will do it as many times as necessary to ensure the safety of my little boy.

I set out through the swirling snow on Crydor, my home, my prison…

Just before I climbed a steep cliff to head back to the settlement where I lived, I saw something sticking out of the snow on a small ledge. Moving closer, I got a better glimpse of what it was.

My eyes widened. Quickly scooping up the small object, I made my way up the cliff wall and to my home.

I made it to my home and switched off the hard exterior shell of my warming suit. I looked down at the small tube I had found on the cliff. I grinned, seeing the little label. _If found, please return to Pidge._

"Sorry, Pidge, but I will not be returning this to you," I whispered and pulled the cap off the small tube of chap stick. "As they say, finders keepers."

I was immediately assaulted by the smell of overripe, sweet, succulent raspberries and I groaned aloud. "I love raspberries. Pollux grew some of the best…" I took another deep breath, loving the exquisiteness of it before I took the tube and ran the oily substance over my rough, chapped lips with a sigh. I laid back on the bed and let my thoughts drift back to Pollux and better times before the Haggarium infection dictated my life's choices.

_**Arus**_

Where did it go? I need it! I have to find it!

I was looking everywhere in Green Lion's cockpit. Under the seat, the vents, I even looked inside the consoles. Distraught, I crumpled to the floor, holding my head in my hands. Where could it have gone?

Okay, think. You're smarter than this. Where could it have gone?

I lifted my head and looked at the controls. The video feed. I slid into the seat and brought up the flight to Crydor. An hour and a half later, I had my answer. It had fallen out when Green Lion and I had almost fallen from the top of the cliff and Yellow had saved us. I rewound the scene and watched it again and again as it slowly made the plummet into the icy whiteness somewhere below Green.

I felt wetness on my cheek and, irritated, I wiped it away. I wanted it back. I had to get it back. Yes, I could just appropriate another, but that one had been used by her. It was a part of her, just as it was a part of me. I needed to get it back. But, I wouldn't be able to get it until I made some preparations. Green would have to be retrofitted to endure the cold better than the last time.

I was mostly undisturbed most of the day as I worked on increasing the cold resistance. I say mostly because people knew where they could find me, if I had really been needed, which I wasn't, but some people tend to stir the pot.

She likes to watch me as I work. The good thing about that is, she's quiet…mostly. She can be very distracting at times, but I was on a mission, I had to focus.

"Must you really sit out here and watch me?"

She gave an unrepentant shrug. "I like to watch you work. You're intensely focused today. Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing." Crap, I said that a little too fast and she caught it. I saw her eyebrow arch up with curiosity. "I'm fine. Really. I just want to get this done. I have somewhere I need to go." I turned the wrench on the insulating panel I was working on.

She made a non-comitial sound, as if she didn't quite believe me. "Yeah. Okay. Where is my lip gloss?"

I froze. Sweat began beading on my forehead. "I left it in my room."

"Ah. Well, I'll go get another one, then," she stated and walked off.

I sighed, relieved that she believed me. I went back to work, the immediate distraction gone for the moment. I needed to get this done. Time was of the essence. I needed to be gone before she got back or I was never going to leave. Although, I should probably tell her…but, then, she'd want to go along and I really don't need that kind of distraction on the way to Crydor.

_**Crydor**_

I had things I could have been doing, but the relief the chap stick brought to my lips made it to where I didn't really care to worry about anything else. The flavor was sending me off on some very good memories of life on Pollux and I was in no hurry to rush through those memories or put them on hold.

My chores would still be there in an hour. Or two.

I just let my mind drift, remembering better days, the beauty and smells of Pollux, the birth of my son…

I growled softly and flung myself to my feet. It would be best to get my chores done now instead of thinking of the past. While some of the memories of the past were pleasant, I shouldn't become, as Hunk and Pidge would have said, wishy washy.

I activated my warming suit and trudged out into the blinding white snow to harvest my drinking water for the next few days.

_**Arus**_

"Excuse me?"

I cringed at the anger and hurt in her voice as I stood just inside the door to her rooms after just explaining to her where I was going and why. "I said I'm going to Crydor alone."

"Why?"

I had to think fast. "I want to take more readings to update our database and make sure it is safe for Sven to continue living there."

"Are you sure he survived the fight with Lotor?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

I snarled. "It would take more than Lotor to kill Sven. He did survive the Pit of Skulls on Planet Doom."

She slowly nodded. "Okay. So, he sounds like a pretty smart guy. I'm sure he knows what is safe and what isn't."

"And I was hoping to get a sample of his blood to see if we can find a cure to his Haggarium infection," I added softly.

I saw her eyes light up. "Then I should totally go with you to help! Especially since the Lions can't tolerate the cold of Crydor that long. I could take the temperature readings and stuff while you draw his blood…"

"No, it isn't safe. The last time we were there, the fighting was destabilizing the glacier," I stated, quickly.

Larmina crossed her arms over her chest, frowned and started tapping her foot. "Then you shouldn't go, either."

I inwardly groaned. She was going to dog me until either I made her extremely mad or I took her along with me. "Look, Larmina, I have to go find the lip gloss I lost while there. I had it in Green with me and it fell out during the battle…"

Larmina rolled her eyes. "So that is the reason behind all this? To get a single tube of lip gloss back? Pidge, I could have just gotten you another one…"

My expression darkened. "This one was special," I barked, causing her to jump slightly and look at me with startled eyes. I felt my cheeks heat slightly. "I…uh…it was one you had used and left in my room. I felt that it was special."

Larmina walked over to me and slapped me across the face, drawing blood from the corner of my mouth.

Slowly, I licked the blood from my lips. The pang of copper only heightened my senses and my nostrils flared slightly. I glared at her, my green eyes narrow. "You're lucky you didn't knock my glasses off," I growled softly.

She lifted her chin. "Shall I do it again? Because I am going with you to Crydor."

"No, you're not," I answered. I spun, putting my back to her, grabbing her arm and pulling her onto my back. I spun around again, tossed her over my head and onto her bed.

"What the…HEY!" Larmina cried as she hit the bed, bounced off and hit the floor on the other side.

I manifested my smart stars and waited.

I didn't wait long.

Larmina got to her feet and I threw my smart stars, nailing her to the wall.

Larmina stared at the stars for a moment before she turned her turquoise eyes back to me. "Pidge! This isn't fair! Let me down!" she yelled, struggling against them.

I stood there, admiring my work for a moment before I answered. Then, I shook my head. "Not until after I leave for Crydor," I stated and left her room.

"PIDGE!" I heard her yell as the door slid shut behind me. I could only smile as I headed for the Control Room and Green Lion's den. It was not easy walking away, but I managed. There would always be later for our fun and games.

_**Crydor**_

I felt more than heard the approaching space ship. It felt like a warm spring breeze on the air and I knew, without a doubt, it was the Green Lion of Voltron. I turned from my chore of gardening in the geo-thermal greenhouse and went outside, my warming suit activating immediately.

I shielded my eyes with my right arm as the Green Lion landed softly on the ground just inside the building complexes where I have been living. Once the wind of his landing subsided, I lowered my arm and stood there, patiently waiting.

I blinked in surprise when a young man that I once knew, exited through the mouth of the Lion. He was definitely taller than I remembered and he had much more stylish glasses.

"Hello, Sven," Pidge called as he finally saw me and walked towards me.

"Hello, Pidge. It has been a long time," I answered. "You have definitely grown since I last actually saw you."

Pidge grinned and nodded. "Indeed, but I am still shorter than the rest of the team," he quipped.

I smiled and nodded. "Some things are inevitable."

Pidge shrugged. "Yeah."

"So," I stated and waved towards the building I used as my home. "What brings you back to Crydor?"

"You do, actually," he answered as we stepped into the building.

"My son?"

Pidge smiled. "He's doing just fine. In fact, he shows no trace of the Haggarium infection that you have."

I briefly closed my eyes. "Thank you, my ancestors," I whispered softly. "That is wonderful news, Pidge. Thank you for that."

Pidge nodded and set a small case on a nearby table. "So, I figured that with that happy news, I might be able to get a blood sample from you so we can try to cure you and you can watch him grow up."

I swallowed hard at the sight of the needles and tubes that Pidge had pulled out of the case. "Are you qualified to be doing this, Pidge?"

Pidge blinked and looked up at me. "It isn't that hard…"

**X x x x x x**

If I wasn't mistaken, I thought I heard a trace of fear in the former Blue Lion pilot's voice when he asked me if I knew what I was doing. Granted, he didn't exactly ask it that way, but that was the underlying question. "It isn't that hard," I assured him.

I still saw him swallow, but he bared his arm and held it out to me.

I carefully put a small rubber band around his arm and had him flex his hand, popping the vessels out. I picked the best looking one and cleaned the site with a small rubbing alcohol pad. I turned, slid on a pair of rubber gloves and picked up the sterile needle and the first of several vials that I would put the blood into.

Sven was silent and still the entire time I was drawing his blood. I finished and held a small cotton ball to the small wound. "All done," I murmured.

Sven reached over and took the cotton ball and I packed up my things. "Thank you, Pidge."

I smiled at him. "You're welcome," I answered. I stood up as Sven pulled something out of his pocket and applied it to his lips. I stared in shock at the tube of lip gloss I had lost.

Time slowed as I watched him apply it. I felt my blood run cold and my senses went hypersensitive. I could smell the raspberries as if they were growing on their plant right next to me. "Where. Did. You. Get. That?" I asked quietly.

**X x x x x x**

I froze just before I put the cap back on the chap stick. My steely grey eyes moved to the young man before me, noting his ultra stillness, shallow breathing and wide eyes. "I found it," I answered, slowly and carefully putting the cap back on the tube with a barely audible click.

Pidge just stared at the tube in my hand for several long minutes. "Mine," he finally whispered.

I glanced at it, noting the words had rubbed off the tube with as much as I had been using it over the last few days. "I found it. So, I would not know if it was yours," I answered smoothly.

His emerald eyes found mine. There was a slight wild look in his eyes as they slowly glazed over. "I lost it over on the glacier," he whispered. "It fell out of Green Lion."

I nodded. "I am sorry to hear that, Pidge."

He moved slightly and I saw a small glowing green throwing star in his hand.

I arched an eyebrow at him. "You would hurt a friend over something so small and inconsequential?"

I saw the fight in his eyes and he reeled his temper in slightly. "I would like that back," he whispered, a deadly note in his voice. It was a tone I had never heard before from him and it surprised me for a moment.

Slowly, I nodded. "I will make you a deal, Pidge."

His eyes narrowed, but I knew he would ask. It was inevitable. He was a caged animal, I could sense it.

"What?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I leaned forward. "You find the cure and cure me. Then, and only then, will you get this…" I held up the chap stick, "…back."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "You would blackmail me?"

"If it cures me, I am not above doing just about anything, as I'm sure you can clearly recall from a couple months ago," I answered with a curt nod. I gave him a wicked grin. "Vikings were the very first pirates, Pidge. So, I guess this could be a test of the whole pirate versus ninja. Prove to me that ninjas are better."

I saw a cold calmness descend over him. He stood up straight and stared at me. "Fine. I will," he stated and, picking up his things, turned and walked to Green Lion.

I grinned, watching him go. A cure would be coming. Soon.


End file.
